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View Poll Results: Can you legally sail solo single handed
Yes, as long as you use all available means to keep a look out 73 61.86%
No, all solo sailors are in breach of the Colregs 33 27.97%
The Colregs are intended for two handed sailors not one 3 2.54%
What's the Colregs? 10 8.47%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 118. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 12-06-2015, 06:08   #196
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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Originally Posted by FamilyVan View Post
There is no need to rewrite the rules on what lights you should show when drifting.

Rule 20 (b) clearly states you can light up your boat however you please, provided the lights can't be mistaken for inappropriate navigation lights and don't obscure the operators vision. Using NUC lights can be confused with- well a vessel not under command, so are inappropriate.

A vessel under sail has can show side lights and a stern light, or a tri light, so for nav lights, that's what you can show.

To increase your visibility there are all kinds of options, spreader lights, stringer lights, deck lights, Christmas lights up your stays or halyards are all perfectly acceptable under the ColRegs.

No need to rewrite the book- it's all right there in the ColRegs.

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Rule 20(b):

(b) The Rules concerning lights shall be complied with from sunset to sunrise, and during such times no other lights shall be exhibited, except such lights which cannot be mistaken for the lights specified in these Rules or do not impair their visibility or distinctive character, or interfere with the keeping of a proper look-out.

This seems to rule out the idea of an anchor light, as jackdale commented earlier.
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Old 12-06-2015, 06:34   #197
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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Originally Posted by CSY Man View Post
We should all follow the same rules. No?

If 100s of solo sailors are good to cross oceans while a asleep at the same time, and that is perfectly good in your book, where do we say stop?
Merchant ships up to 200 feet are good to go 24/7 with no look out?
Or just 100 feet?
Heck, with modern technology they can sleep up to 500 feet.
(No risk because it is a big ocean)
Might as well make it 1000 feet, big ocean it is.

Or should we all keep a look out as per the current regs up the point where satellite based Sea Traffic Control will be in charge of your auto pilot and will prevent collisions at all times while you are goofing off and not paying attention?

In the mean time, why not keep a visual look out as per the rules for your own safety and others?

Sail solo all you want, but don't endanger fellow Mariners by sleeping on watch.
The difference is significant as to which types of vessels you've mentioned present the greatest hazard to others.

Would anyone consider sailing ships in the same manner as a sailor on a 32' boat who is sailing alone? No.

Unless the collision is with a smaller boat, even the largest sailboat that can be managed by a sailor who's alone is not going to cause the damage a 100' ship will. So, for me at least, this is a consideration included in the overall calculus of risk when I consider setting off alone. I am most likely to be the loser in a collision at sea. I can live with that.
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Old 12-06-2015, 07:46   #198
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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Originally Posted by FamilyVan View Post
A vessel under sail has can show side lights and a stern light, or a tri light, so for nav lights, that's what you can show.

To increase your visibility there are all kinds of options, spreader lights, stringer lights, deck lights, Christmas lights up your stays or halyards are all perfectly acceptable under the ColRegs.

No need to rewrite the book- it's all right there in the ColRegs.

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Under rule 18 a sailing vessel is stand on to power driven vessels. Why would you want to show NUC?

That being said, it does not absolve you of the requirement to maintain a look out at all times by all means.
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Old 12-06-2015, 07:48   #199
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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T I am most likely to be the loser in a collision at sea. I can live with that.
You would most likely be dead. Can the crew of the other vessel live with that?
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Old 12-06-2015, 07:52   #200
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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Under rule 18 a sailing vessel is stand on to power driven vessels. Why would you want to show NUC?

That being said, it does not absolve you of the requirement to maintain a look out at all times by all means.
I wouldn't show NUC, I was responding to others that said they would. I would find an alternative illumination option such as spreader lights and deck lights- both of which I have.

It's more than just mood lighting...

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Old 12-06-2015, 08:30   #201
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

Another version or scenario, not conserning only single handers, when having a sea-anchor or drogue deployed the vessels maneuverability is restricted and should show red-white-red.
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Old 12-06-2015, 08:38   #202
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

A pleasure craft can't display Restricted in Ability to Maneuver lights, as by definition it must be the nature of the vessels work that restricts its ability to maneuver, ie buoy tending, dredging, landing aircraft.



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Old 12-06-2015, 08:47   #203
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

Read it, it's not about if they can, they must..

Ps. OK, vessel under 12m can, not must..
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Old 12-06-2015, 08:54   #204
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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That's what NUC means -- not under command and drifting. But the problem is that it's not intended for drifting intentionally, when your machinery works and there is a non-disabled person on board.

Because you don't have the right to drift and give up doing collision avoidance just because you want to. You claim NUC because you are prevented from fulfilling your collision avoidance obligations because of some serious problem. I doubt that it would be a good idea to give anyone the right anywhere and any time to just go below and drift for any reason.

I think a single hander getting some essential sleep, and hove to, is very close to the spirit of NUC. You can certainly claim NUC if you run out of fuel. You can certainly claim NUC if the whole crew is sick and no one is capable of standing watch. So why not for running out of consciousness? I actually like this idea more and more, the more I think about it. If you don't specifically ban single handing, then some allowance like this really ought to be made.

The new rule could be something like this:

A small vessel (less than 20 meters LOA) manned by a single person shall have the right to heave to and drift for reasonable periods of time in order for the crew to get essential rest, provided that due care shall be exercised to avoid thereby creating a hazard to navigation by doing so in high traffic areas or near TSS zones, and provided proper NUC signals are shown.

Maybe it could be required to be broadcasting NUC nav status on AIS, something "B" class sets cannot presently do, but this would greatly reduce risks from this.
I think you nailed it Dockhead.

NUC IS the right signal to display if no one is awake and vessel is drifting, which cannot be avoided if sailing Solo and sailor becomes dangerously fatigued.

A considerate mariner would be more likely to give the small sailboat a wide berth and the sailor could sleep more deeply knowing his status is internationally recognized.

Yes... Some sailors would abuse that option, but most would not.
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Old 12-06-2015, 09:02   #205
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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Read it, it's not about if they can, they must..

Ps. OK, vessel under 12m can, not must..
I don't have to read it, I know what it says, I've used it dozens if not hundreds of times. It's for vessels that are restricted by the nature of their work.

Drifting on a drogue would likely be NUC, but I don't think I've ever seen a pleasure craft with NUC lights.

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Old 12-06-2015, 09:09   #206
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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Under rule 18 a sailing vessel is stand on to power driven vessels. Why would you want to show NUC?

That being said, it does not absolve you of the requirement to maintain a look out at all times by all means.
Being stand-on absolutely does not absolve you of looking out, nor maneuvering under certain circumstances.

NUC means no one is home; you're just a drifting navigational hazard. Unlike being stand-on, NUC makes avoiding you entirely the problem of the other vessel. It is an absolutely appropriate status for a vessel hove-to with the crew asleep. The question is whether we should be able to claim this status just because we are single- or short-handed, and need to sleep.

I don't think the rules allow it, but maybe they should, under some circumstances.
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Old 12-06-2015, 09:13   #207
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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I don't have to read it, I know what it says, I've used it dozens if not hundreds of times. It's for vessels that are restricted by the nature of their work.

Drifting on a drogue would likely be NUC, but I don't think I've ever seen a pleasure craft with NUC lights.
Becalmed with a disabled or non-existent engine, running under bare poles and drogue, hove-to in a storm, and lying to a para-anchor in a storm, in my opinion are all completely legitimate cases of NUC.

Going back to the policy question -- whether it should be even allowed or not -- it is absolutely allowed to sail without an engine, which means you will be NUC in a calm. Why shouldn't you be allowed to sail single handed, with everyone recognizing that you will be NUC periodically for sleep?
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Old 12-06-2015, 09:21   #208
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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Becalmed with a disabled or non-existent engine, running under bare poles and drogue, hove-to in a storm, and lying to a para-anchor in a storm, in my opinion are all completely legitimate cases of NUC.

Going back to the policy question -- whether it should be even allowed or not -- it is absolutely allowed to sail without an engine, which means you will be NUC in a calm. Why shouldn't you be allowed to sail single handed, with everyone recognizing that you will be NUC periodically for sleep?
Oh, I wasn't disagreeing with NUC being appropriate. I just don't think teddys assertion that RAM is appropriate.

The only issues I have with NUC is- as you stated, I'm not sure how it fits into the singlehanding equation, and my boat, and many other pleasure boats aren't equipped with NUC lights.

Most have spreader lights or Christmas lights, neither of which is contrary to the regs, and both improve your visibility. It's the most practical solution I can think of.

Regarding the legality of single handing- it's a question I don't really care what the answer is because either I'm going to be dead, or I've killed or injured somebody and their going to prosecute me for gross negligence one way or the other.



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Old 12-06-2015, 09:28   #209
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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. . .
Regarding the legality of single handing- it's a question I don't really care what the answer is because either I'm going to be dead, or I've killed or injured somebody and their going to prosecute me for gross negligence one way or the other.
In my opinion, single-handing when done with care, especially with good electronic aids, is not especially dangerous, and I think it is a great adventure which is really valuable to a number of people and worth accommodating.

I wouldn't worry too much about the rules, as they are flexible enough to deal with this. If it were me (and it's not -- because my insurance does not allow me to single hand passages of more than 100 miles) I would probably heave-to and show NUC when sleeping, although in my opinion I wouldn't really have the right to claim NUC status, technically. I would also not have qualms about cat napping using the egg timer horizon scan method, and with radar and AIS and depth alarms set, although I think this also is technically a violation.

I think it would be great if the rules would specifically regulate this. And if Class "B" AIS sets could broadcast NUC status. I wouldn't hold my breath, however, consider how cumbersome it is to change something like the COLREGS.
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Old 12-06-2015, 09:34   #210
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Re: All about the Colregs no 3 - single handed sailing and keeping a look out

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I don't have to read it, I know what it says, I've used it dozens if not hundreds of times. It's for vessels that are restricted by the nature of their work.

Drifting on a drogue would likely be NUC, but I don't think I've ever seen a pleasure craft with NUC lights.
Obviously not knowing.. It's for any vessel with limited maneuverability. For working vessels there are some additional stuff which may be the cause of your mistake. NUC it's not if engine can be run at will or sails hoisted and has a working rudder etc..
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